Mangalore: Bar association Demands CBI Ivestigation on Malbari Lawyer Murder Case
Pics by Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network
News: The Hindu
MANGALORE, Apr 12: Alleging that the police were “lax” in their investigation of the murder of lawyer Naushad Kashimji, the Mangalore Bar Association has demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
S.P. Chengappa, association’s president, told presspersons here on Saturday that the police negligence might have led to disappearance of evidence. In the first instance, the police did not protect the crime-spot and later they did not take all the bloodstains that were there into account. Pointing out that “primary investigation” was crucial in solving a crime, he said that the people and vehicles were allowed to move freely at the places where the crime occurred.
Chengappa said that despite his request, the police had refused to get the post-mortem conducted on the night of the murder. They promised to get it done the next morning. But the police called him up at 3 a.m. the next day only to tell him that autopsy was being done right away and that the body would be sent to Bhatkal, the home town of Kashimji by day break. The initial hesitation to conduct the post mortem and then finishing it in a hurried manner had given scope to suspicion in the minds of the people, he said.
“There is an attempt at hiding something. There has to be a serious investigation of the case,” he said.
Clarifying that the association was not suspecting the involvement of policemen in the murder, Mr. Chengappa said it had no information about the alleged “veiled threat by the police” to Naushad, who had been taking up cases of police atrocities.
Suspicion
But, in view of certain reports, and suspicion about the local police set up and the investigation, the case should be handed over to the CBI so that the culprits were brought to books, he said.
Stating that a number of cases related to anti social elements were pending in various courts, he said a proper protection was needed to be provided to lawyers. In the last few months, three lawyers had been attacked for different reasons, he added.
The association would hold a condolence meeting on Monday on its premises. A silent protest rally, with lawyers wearing black badges, would be taken out to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
They would demand the transfer of the case to the CBI. Many advocates’ associations from different places, and the State Bar Association, had expressed their support. The Mangalore association had sent a representation in this regard to National Bar Council, he added.